Youthful members of All About Music San Diego prepare to play instrumental music at 2016 Christmas on the Prado in Balboa Park.
Early this afternoon, before the threatened rain might begin, I headed up to Balboa Park to enjoy a bit of the 3rd Annual Christmas on the Prado. This celebration of Christmas is put on by the San Diego Children’s Coalition and the San Diego Community Christmas Committee; it shouldn’t be confused with December Nights, a more diverse holiday event in Balboa Park which used to be called “Christmas on the Prado”. December Nights will take place next week.
When I arrived, the event was just getting underway and many booths were still being erected. I caught a few early performances and some of the Christmas spirit. Here are a few photos!
The San Diego Community Christmas Center’s nativity display at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion is viewed by families during Christmas on the Prado.The nativity display shows scenes from the Bible concerning the birth of Christ.Shepherds are visited by an angel.Children view a scene depicting the birth of Jesus in a humble manger.A shack magically transported from the North Pole provides treats at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion during Christmas on the Prado.Christmas sweets include cookies!A brightly decorated tree and traditional Christmas music inside the House of Ireland at Balboa Park’s International Cottages.A small but cheerful Christmas tree inside the House of England.Inside the House of Norway, children make tiny paper Christmas baskets to hang on a tree among ornaments.Adding color to Christmas cookies inside the House of Norway.A youth ballet company practices before they take the stage at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.A children’s group sings joyful carols and other merry songs during Christmas on the Prado.Getting a Christmas tree ready where Santa will sit in the evening, after nightfall.
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Turkey hats on runners preparing for the Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K, an annual event to help San Diego’s homeless.
This morning thousands gathered in Balboa Park to participate in the Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K run and walk. Money raised during the annual event helps Father Joe’s Villages provide food, shelter, medical care, employment training and hope for many of San Diego’s homeless.
If you’d like to donate to Father Joe’s, or learn more about what they do, here’s their website.
Homeless man on Sixth Avenue, across the street from Balboa Park.Thousands gather in Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama before the start of Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K run and walk.Many Thanksgiving-themed costumes and hats could be spotted among the participants. These dogs are already in the Christmas spirit!Energy-providing fruit slices are prepared for the 5K participants before the beginning of the race.The Knights of Columbus had a pancake breakfast in Balboa Park during the Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K.Catholic priests perform a religious service in the Plaza de Panama for the faithful before the Thanksgiving race to help the homeless.Runners and walkers head toward the start line in Balboa Park. Morning sun shines on the iconic California Tower.Thousands of participants pass over the Cabrillo Bridge, just prior to beginning the Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K.This family is dressed like a Pilgrim and a turkey dinner!People get enthused a few minutes before the fun run begins.Homeless person alone on the sunlit grass in a corner of Balboa Park.Getting ready to start a competitive 5K run on Thanksgiving morning. Money raised helps provide food and shelter for the homeless in San Diego.
What are you grateful for? Random people in Balboa Park write their thoughts. They are grateful for life, family, school, warm socks, waking up to sunrises, and people who smile for no reason.
I stumbled upon a heartwarming sight in Balboa Park–just a few days before Thanksgiving.
A couple named Gratitude Gal and Gratitude Guy were greeting people who were walking down El Prado. The smiling pair carried a dry-erase board. People were invited to write down a few things in life for which they were grateful. Many of those random people did.
Thanksgiving is three days away. But it seems to me that every single day is an appropriate time to give thanks. Happiness is a choice.
A random person walking along happily writes down a few reasons why they are thankful.Gratitude Gal and Gratitude Guy collect messages of thanksgiving on a dry erase board in Balboa Park.
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San Diego residents with diverse backgrounds gather for an important groundbreaking in Balboa Park. Five new structures will be the home of nine nations at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.
Today was an exciting day in Balboa Park! A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, where nine member nations look forward to eventually moving into five brand new structures! Because there is limited space in this particular area of Balboa Park, four of the structures will be duplexes shared by eight nations; the fifth will be home to the House of the Philippines.
Colorfully dressed representatives from the Philippines, Peru, Mexico, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Panama, Korea and Palestine (not presently a nation, but a culture) participated in the groundbreaking. If all goes according to plan, they’ll have their cottages completed by the end of 2017, just in time for December Nights!
As many in San Diego know, several changes and improvements might be coming to Balboa Park, including an underground parking garage behind the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, a very short distance from the cottages. A huge parking lot near the center of Balboa Park will be replaced with grass, gardens, walkways and more beautiful park! Watching all of this proposed construction should be quite interesting! Stay tuned!
A friendly gentleman from the House of Palestine stands near a flag where a new cottage will be built that showcases Palestinian culture.Three duplex structures will be built in this area south of the existing cottages, directly behind the House of Ukraine and House of the United States.Two ladies in colorful dress enter the Hall of Nations Building for a special groundbreaking reception.The Hall of Nations Building has been used on a rotating basis by member nations who don’t presently have a cottage. Today a reception was held inside celebrating the groundbreaking of five new structures.Two structures will be built in this area, north of the House of Iran and the Hall of Nations Building. In this photo a crowd is gathering for the historic groundbreaking ceremony.The original House of Pacific Relations cottages were built in 1935 for the California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park. Pacific means peaceful, and that is the intent of the cottages–to promote friendship between nations and mutual understanding.San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer addresses those attending the long-awaited groundbreaking. Many dignitaries spoke, and those who’ve been working tirelessly to complete the expansion were honored.Beauty queens from the House of Panama stood proudly with others near the podium.The nine member nations who will be receiving new cottages all participated in the traditional groundbreaking ceremony. Lifting these shovels are representatives from the House of Korea.
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People enjoy unusual aquarium displays at the San Diego Tropical Fish Society Annual Show in Balboa Park.
Time for a laugh! Here are some weird, funny, and wonderfully creative fish aquariums!
Today I photographed some of the most humorous aquariums on display at the San Diego Tropical Fish Society Annual Show in Balboa Park. I was delighted to see so much unleashed craziness and imagination. Looks like this fishy hobby can be a lot of fun. Check these out!
A very unique aquarium contains two upside down goblets and one upside down glass fish bowl. The latter acts as a sort of sky observatory for the finny inhabitants.Star Wars characters stand atop an aquarium from a galaxy far, far away. The space-like interior features a duel between a randomly drifting TIE fighter and X-Wing, while darting red fish appear to be laser blasts.Doctor Who and a companion have traveled by TARDIS into the strange, unearthly interior of this humorous aquarium.An old blender or coffee maker makes a fine tropical fish aquarium, I suppose. Just don’t turn them on.I’m sure a fish was hiding somewhere in the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis.Who said bonsai plants couldn’t be submerged? Makes for a lovely but rather fishy garden.And an underwater Buddha, too! These fish must be on the watery path to nirvana.An aquarium alive with silly Minions and Lego creations and jumbled color. Oh, and some shy fish, too.A yellow submarine in a Beatles-themed tropical fish aquarium. Another fun photo taken in Balboa Park during the San Diego Tropical Fish Society Annual Show!
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You could be the cure! Smiling ladies in Balboa Park register potential bone marrow donors. And there are other ways that you can fight cancer, too!
During my walk today, I was reminded of an important fact. There’s a heroic decision that many of us can make to possibly save another person’s life.
I’m sure many of you have heard about how certain types of blood cancers can be successfully treated with a bone marrow transplant. And you’ve probably heard about the National Marrow Donor Program, a registry where cancer patients can be matched with an appropriate donor.
Have you thought about becoming a potential donor? You might save somebody’s life!
If you walk through Balboa Park and notice a sign concerning a Marrow Donor Registry Drive, take a moment to check it out! Or simply click the Be The Match website now to learn of several things you can do to help save a life!
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A cool work of art pieced together in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village. Anyone can do this!
My weekend walk in Balboa Park took me through Spanish Village Art Center. For a few pleasant minutes I paused to watch artist Kathi Vargo piecing together collages and unique assemblage at a table in the middle of the patio. Anyone passing by was invited to join in!
I learned that Kathi offers Paint and Paper Play classes where absolutely anybody can learn to create mixed media collages. If you’re interested, visit her website!
Kathi Vargo was having a fun Paint and Paper Play Collage Workshop in the middle of the Spanish Village Art Center’s colorful patio.All sorts of objects can be used to assemble this unique artwork.Applying some paint to a strip of material.Creating art expands the mind, enriches the spirit, and is just plain fun!You can make this!
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Gallery 21 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village features a special environmental exhibit called Sustainability Studio!
I discovered a fascinating environmental exhibit in Balboa Park this weekend. The Sustainability Studio is located in Gallery 21 near the center of the Spanish Village Art Center.
This small but information-packed exhibit discusses how various museums and buildings in Balboa Park are engaging in conservation efforts, by using solar panels, low-flow water fixtures, LED lighting, and the intelligent use of resources. The exhibit also encourages kids to think about the environment and pledge to protect it. Fun activities include making leaves for the Tree of Change and a Balboa Park scavenger hunt!
To read the signs, click the images and they will enlarge.
The Sustainability Studio will remain open to the public through December. Bring the kids! They can learn something new, create some fun art, and engage in the easy scavenger hunt and win a cool prize!
Rubi welcomes visitors into the Sustainability Studio, where one can learn about the conservation efforts of various organizations in Balboa Park.Signs and posters in the special exhibit raise awareness about various important environmental issues. Kids are provided with fun activities that promote activism and conservation.Sustainability refers to the conservation and efficient use of essential resources. Balboa Park’s efforts include solar panels, low-flow water fixtures and LED lighting.Kids visiting the exhibit are encouraged to make a leaf with a hand tracing, then inscribe it with an environmental pledge.Leaves on the Tree of Change. Kids pledge to ride bikes, turn off lights, recycle, use less water . . .A scavenger hunt is described on this flyer. Upload 5 selfies to Facebook that include a Balboa Park sustainability feature and claim a great prize!Various museums and buildings in Balboa Park are working to become more environmentally friendly.The San Diego Natural History Museum became the first Balboa Park LEED Certified building in 2009.The San Diego Air and Space Museum has increased energy efficiency and achieved significant water savings.Fun works of art produced by creative kids hang from the ceiling. I like the ocean!I love turtles!
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A huge spider-like working octopod vehicle on display in the Plaza de Panama at 2016 Maker Faire San Diego!
Check out some cool photos! I took these this morning at 2016 Maker Faire San Diego which is being held this weekend in Balboa Park!
This now annual event–I believe this is the second year–attracts creative people of every type: engineers, inventors, dreamers, artists, students . . . If the human imagination can envision it, these folks will build it!
If you are a dreamer and a doer, head down to Balboa Park and be inspired!
Maker Faire San Diego has taken over Balboa Park this weekend. The annual event features fantastic creations and the inspired creators who like building cool stuff!This super cool octopod moves slowly forward and backward using its spider-like feet. I’d love to sit inside and drive it! I learned that it doesn’t steer very well, however.In the morning, before the Maker Faire officially opened, I spotted two cupcake cars heading through Balboa Park!This guy was flying what appeared to be a huge model of a Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer down Balboa Park’s El Prado!A bunch of Maker Faire exhibitors set up on Saturday morning in front of the San Diego Air and Space Museum in Balboa Park.This human powered submarine was created by a team of students at UCSD. It competed in the International Submarine Race and was propelled by a 3-D printed fin.This cool robot was created by high school students, namely High Tech High’s Top Hat Technicians. It competed in an event where a ball had to be shot at a goal.Make your own molecule using this cardboard Molecube!These awesome guitars were made by students in a special STEM Guitar-Building class at San Diego City College.The Ghostbusters ECTO-1 vehicle has arrived for Maker Faire San Diego, as well as a Jeep from Jurassic Park.Commissioner Gordon must be nearby. I spotted his Gotham Police Department vehicle.A tiny house would be built here during the Maker Faire weekend. When I first walked by, the floor was being laid down.About an hour later, one wall was already up!The Electric Giraffe returned for 2016 Maker Faire San Diego. It walks, talks, and has become quite a phenomenon. It has even appeared at the White House!The Electric Giraffe is 17 feet tall when its neck is fully raised. Its “horns” (actually ossicones) appear to be lava lamps!These creators at Maker Faire San Diego were building the Temple for Youtopia. It’s an interlocking plywood parabaloid with a single light source at it’s focal point. When finished, light shines out everywhere.A similar Temple is built each year at Burning Man and set on fire.I noticed a lot of cool Star Wars cosplay at 2016 Maker Faire San Diego.I caught this Star Wars cosplay between Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality and the Japanese Friendship Garden.Back in Balboa Park’s central Plaza de Panama, the San Diego Sabers engaged in a fast-paced lightsaber battle!Enthusiasts in cool protective costumes engage in lightsaber combat as a crowd watches during 2016 Maker Faire San Diego!Anybody passing by was invited to Paint a Prius near the San Diego Automotive Museum!Kids have a blast in front of the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Air-propelled rockets were flying all over the place.Kids at Maker Faire San Diego test a carbon dioxide cannon, made from a garbage can!This remote control robot batter was swinging wildly at beach balls. A rather amusing scene! (Wish I’d taken a better photo.)Here comes AR-Duo, the Caloric Rover, a cool steampunk rolling doohickey which is beyond awesome.There’s just too much fun at 2016 Maker Faire San Diego! Head over to Balboa Park this weekend!
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Dr. Carol Williams, San Diego Civic Organist for 15 years, in the middle of her final Sunday afternoon performance at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park.
Thank you Dr. Carol Williams.
Thank you for 15 years of inspiration, dedication, and–most of all–unparalleled music. Thank you for making the Spreckels Organ come so alive. Thank you for your quirky good humor and your wonderful showmanship. Thank you for being such a great part of San Diego’s history, for being one of a long string of distinguished musicians, Civic Organists who first made the Spreckels Organ’s powerful lungs sing in 1915. Thank you for helping culture in Balboa Park to thrive. Thank you for bringing in some of the finest organists in the world for our absolutely incredible Summer Organ Festivals. Thanks for being a part of many Sunday afternoons, at two o’clock, when I could simply close my eyes and feel the music move through me. Just music. Each living note. Thank you!
In the years ahead, may you produce many fantastic compositions for the king of instruments!
A large crowd turned out to enjoy the music produced by Carol and the Spreckels Organ one last Sunday afternoon.Dr. Carol Williams wows the crowd with another amazing performance. She is one of the world’s finest concert organists. And her dog Dietrich up on stage seems quite proud!A special day in Balboa Park as our nation’s first woman Civic Organist plays the king of instruments one last Sunday.The Spreckels Organ Pavilion was filled with people who have enjoyed Carol’s concerts for many years.Carol and pal Dietrich between pieces. KUSI television videotaped the historic occasion.Dr. Carol Williams, a premiere concert organist, plays the Spreckels Organ, the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world.An artist at work.The beginning of a standing ovation, just as Carol asks everyone to stand for the National Anthem.Dr. Carol Williams greets organ lovers in the gift shop after her final Sunday concert in Balboa Park. She has long been a San Diego treasure, and now becomes a part of our city’s history.An organ student thanks Dr. Carol Williams. She worked hard to educate youth, to encourage aspiring musicians, and to build the Spreckels Organ Society into a powerful presence in the music world.
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